Tigers prepare for Thursday start

Jack Olin (50) blocks the shot of Mason Knopp during the boys' game at the Red & White Scrimmage Monday night at the FSHS gymnasium. The Tigers boys' and girls' teams open the season Thursday against the host school at the annual Willard (Mo.) Four-State Classic. (Scott Nuzum/Tribune)

Fort Scott High School's basketball teams held Red & White Scrimmages at the FSHS gymnasium Monday night as they prepare for their season openers against Willard (Mo.) at the Willard Four-State Classic Thursday night.

Fort Scott's girls led off the scrimmage. The varsity and JV teams went first, going for 15 minutes with a running clock. Then the freshmen played for 10 minutes, also with a running clock, before the varsity/JV played 15 more minutes.

The girls were introduced to the crowd afterward, then the boys' basketball team and the wrestling squad. They will open the season Saturday morning with their annual six-team dual tournament at the FSHS gymnasium. Action begins at 9 a.m.

Maddi Allen leads the fast break upcourt for the Red team while (from left) Ericah Shoemaker, Brianne Lawrence and Jillian Lattimer follow during the Red & White Scrimmage at the FSHS gymnasium Monday night. Tiger girls varsity and junior varsity players worked for a total of 30 minutes with a running clock. (Kenny Felt/Special to the Tribune)

Following a performance by the FSHS Dance Team, the boys' basketball team scrimmaged, playing two 20-minute halves. The freshmen did not hold a scrimmage.

Fort Scott will play Willard Thursday night with the girls tipping off at 7 p.m. followed by the boys at 8:30. The other two schools in the round-robin tournament are Broken Arrow, Okla., and Springdale (Ark.) Har-Ber. They will face each other in girls' play at 4 p.m. and boys' competition at 5:30.

Friday, Fort Scott takes on Har-Ber. The girls play at 4 followed by the boys at 5:30. Willard girls will play Broken Arrow at 7 with the boys' match between the schools to follow at 8:30.

Saturday, Fort Scott girls will play Broken Arrow at 1 p.m. with the game between Willard girls and Har-Ber to follow at 2:30. Then Broken Arrow and Fort Scott boys will play at 4:15 with Willard and Har-Ber following at 5:45 to round out the classic.